Article Updated March 10, 2026
“Low calorie cocktails” may sound like an oxymoron. A cocktail typically represents indulgence and decadence. But sometimes you’re trying to stay healthy by cutting back on sugar. We challenged bartenders and our staff to give us some lower-calorie options that go beyond the basic vodka and soda so a night out can be just a little healthier. These are all in the 150 or below calorie range, lower than average for cocktails. To accompany your cocktail, try a recipe for a swimsuit salad that ensures you’re ready for summer!
Low Calorie Cocktail Recipes
Negronish
This “Negronish” from bartender Jason Renner at Bar Marco swaps out gin for Fernet Branca and adds a little Aperol to a classic Negroni. This Negronish has no simple syrup, and the alcohol in it isn’t very sweet, so it’s a great lower-calorie option.
Giardineira-tini
Eating vegetables was never so much fun. A martini doesn’t have much extra sweetener in it, and Ritual House’s giardineira garnish might possibly qualify as a serving of vegetables. I suppose it’s a stretch to call it a salad, though.
Gin and Lime Juice
The “Gin and Juice” cocktail originated with Snoop Dogg’s hit song of the same name. If you don’t want the extra sugar from fruit juice, try fresh-squeezed lime juice (or lemon) to make an indulgent gin and juice without the sugar headache the next day.
Aperol Sour
This cocktail from luxury hotel bar Spirits & Tales uses aquafaba instead of egg whites for the traditional foamy effect of a whiskey sour. It’s as if an Aperol spritz and a whiskey sour combined, and it happens to be only 159 calories.
Cherry Bomb
Wondering what to do with that extra Diet Coke in your fridge? This cocktail combines Diet Coke, whiskey, and a Maraschino cherry garnish to makes an enjoyable low sugar drink with a smooth finish.
Honey and Whiskey
Swapping the simple syrup out for a honey flavor doesn’t entirely get rid of sugar content, but it does lower it. We used Green Bee Ginger Buzz Honey Soda and Dubliner Honeycomb Irish Whiskey to create a cocktail with a slight spicy ginger kick to it.
The Green Beast
It’s like green juice in a cocktail! Just kidding. But a gimlet is one of the classiest low calorie cocktails out there, and the bar team at fl.2 did not disappoint with their interpretation of it. They use Genepy green liqueur, which was new to us and quite delicious.
Smoked Bourbon Old Fashioned
Keeping things simple, an Old Fashioned keeps the calories low with just a little added sugar. In this recipe we use a smoked demerara syrup that adds an extra depth to this cocktail without the extra calories. Finish with a few shakes of orange bitters and kick up your feet for the evening.
Matcha Martini
One teaspoon of match powder only has five calories and often its the ingredients in a latte that make it so sugary. But, in a martini with just vodka and a dash of vanilla syrup, matcha is the secret weapon to a low calorie cocktail. Feel free to garnish with more matcha powder at the end too!
Story by Emma Riva
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